A section of the reinforced US - Mexico border fence on the Otay Mesa area, San Diego County, as seen from Tijuana, in Baja California state, Mexico, on January 6, 2019.
GUILLERMO ARIAS/AFP/Getty Images

Tonight, President Trump will address the nation on primetime television to make his case for a border wall.

Trump’s appearance is scheduled on day 18 of a partial government shutdown caused by a partisan disagreement over $5 billion in funding for the wall. Vice President Pence confirmed this week that the White House is mulling over declaring a state of emergency to bypass congressional approval and secure funding for the wall. Democratic leadership has requested equal airtime from networks carrying Trump’s address.

AirTalk discusses what to expect from Trump’s address and how the media is balancing pressure for fair coverage and the thorough fact checking.